A Thousand Years' Happiness
by tsaieric
Summary: Continuation and One Shot: Keiichi and the older club members are leaving for college. How will Rika respond to this? Will her relationship with her knight last? Sequel to "Interlude The Journey Begins"


Disclaimer: The "When They Cry" series is owned 07th Expansion. The PS2 version, which contains _Miotsukushi-hen_ is owned Alchemist.

Spoiler Alert: This story contains spoiler to the _Miotsukushi-hen_ from the PS2 version.

Note: Italicized is part is Romanized Japanese, please see the bottom for their translation

Note: This is intended to be the continuation of "When They Cry Interlude: The Journey Begins". But it is okay to treat to the two as separate as well.

----

When They Cry – Higurashi no Naku Koroni

A Thousand Years' Worth of Happiness

---

From: .

祭囃し編

【スタッフロールのふたつめ】

だって、これから  
もっともっと幸せになるんだもの。

これくらいじゃ、妥協なんてしないんだから。  
私たちは、これまでの幸せを全部取り戻すよ。

私は百年分を。  
あなたは千年分を、ね。

-----

_That's because  
I'm gonna become much much more happy from now on. _

I'm not gonna compromise with just this.  
We are gonna take back all of our happiness that we lost.

For me, that's about a hundred year's worth.  
For you, a thousand year's worth.

-Frederica Bernkastel

From: .?t=31811

Translated by Kj1980

-----

"_Ja nee_, Rika-chan, Satoko-chan." Maebara Keiichi said as he stood in front of the door to the bus, while _Furude no Miko_ stood silently along side Hojo Satoko. Keiichi then patted the two younger girls' head for the last time.

"Take care of yourselves, alright?" Keiichi said as he lifted his hands from their heads while Sonozaki Mion, Sonozaki Shion, Hojo Satoshi, and Ryuguu Rena all took their turns boarding the bus.

"Don't worry, Keiichi. On other hand, don't just eat _cup-ramen_ everyday, okay?" Satoko said as she reminded her other brother cheerfully.

"Keiichi, be sure to eat three meals a day and not sleep too late each night." Rika added to Satoko's reminder with a smile as she enjoyed the patting.

"I will." Keiichi replied as he lifted his hands from the two younger girls' head.

Then there was brief moment of silence between the three of them and Satoko quickly realized that the _miko_ had something to say to her knight; therefore, she quickly walked away and took a seat at the pavilion near the bus stop.

Seeing that Satoko was away, Rika then took a deep breath, calming herself.

"Keiichi…" Just as Rika started, Keiichi had already realized what she wanted to say and with a smile.

"Rika-chan, I am going away for a while." Keiichi said as Rika looked up at him. "But I will promise you one thing."

"One day, we will all come back here." Hearing what Keiichi said Rika smiled as tears of happiness formed in the corner of her eyes.

"_Unn, boku wa anata shinjimasu__nanodesu_." Rika said as she tried to wipe her tears away.

"Also…" Keiichi added as he walked up to Rika and what came next completely surprised Rika.

"I promise I will come back to your side." Keiichi said as he knelt down and embraced Rika, who for a moment could not do anything due to the surprise.

"_Shinjimasu nanodesu, Keiichi_" Rika replied as she put her arms around his neck and returned the embrace.

It seemed to be eternity for the two of them and only until they heard the others calling them did they separate from one another.

Keiichi and Rika said no more words to each other as Keiichi boarded the bus and as soon as he sat down the bus driver closed door and started moving.

Feeling the motion, Keiichi and the others immediately opened the window and positioned themselves so that they can see behind the bus.

"Rika-chan, _Ooridachi zettai ni kaiyaedekoru_." Keiichi shouted as Rika stood there watching the bus moved.

"Unn." Rika nodded as tears once again came down her cheek as wind blew passed her lifting her black hair into mid air.

Rika then waved her hands in the air as the bus moved away and finally disappearing beyond thhe horizon.

"Rika, let's go." Satoko said as she stood up and walked up to Rika.

Rika remained still for a moment and turned around with one of the happiest smile on her face after wiping her tears away. Knowing that the promise of a thousand years worth happiness awaits her, she walked away knowing that she is no longer alone.

------

At first, Keiichi and the rest wrote back to Hinamizawa every major holiday. However, soon the frequency decreased.

While the others continued to write back to Hinamizawa, the letters from Maebara Keiichi soon stopped coming after the second year.

Even the rest of the club members had no idea what happened to Keiichi as the time they spent together significantly decreased when they entered into their second semester.

Still Rika believed that he would come back. For she knew that if she doesn't believe, then everything will be lost.

Very soon the third year went passed and the fourth year ended, and Satoko realized that time had taken a heavier toll on Rika's mind, despite her outward happiness and joy.

Then summer came again….

-------

Rika walked slowly down the road as she exited the school ground. She was no longer then ten year old who fought again fate anymore. She is now a beautiful young woman sixteen of age. Yet despite it had been six years, she still kept a lot of her style the same.

"Mii…" Rika sighed as she remembered that another one of her classmates confessed to her. It wasn't that Rika disliked him, but she already has someone she belongs to.

Just as she thought of this, she remembered that promise made four years ago. Despite that she had not heard from him since two years ago, her heart still could not let go of the faith that he would come back.

She knew that he would come home one day, he would come back to the village and take her in his arms and hold her again. However, as she thought of all this, she felt sadness and loneliness surrounding her as if swallowing her.

A darker voice of her own then said in her, "He will not come back."

"_Iie, bokudachi yakusokushimasta nanodesu_." She replied to that voice trying to calm it.

"But it had been two years." The voice dark voice replied.

"Even Rena and the other had come back during their vacation to visit, but where is he?" The voice continued.

"_Mou, yamede_." Rika shouted back as tears streamed down her cheek.

Then she was brought back to reality as she heard the horn of the bus and she turned to see the bus arriving at the bus stop as she was surprised by the noise of the horn. However, what surprised her more were the people getting off.

"Rena…" Then Rika stopped as people getting off from the bus noticed her.

"Rika-chan, long time no see." The girl appearing to be the oldest amongst the group was the first to respond.

"Mion…" Rika smiled a bit as she watched her friends gather around her.

Then she looked around, wishing for his presence, but yet realized that he was not once amongst them.

Rena noticing Rika's searching gaze took a deep breath and spoke up.

"Rika-chan, Keiichi is not with us." Rena said in a sad voice. "In fact, we have not seen him at all during last year."

-------

Rika walked slowly on the dirt as she returned home under the moon light, reminiscing what had happened after Rena and the others had arrived.

-----

"The last time we have seen Keiichi was during the end of third year." Mion added as her twin sister took a seat next to her in the café owned by the Sonozaki family.

"He told us that he is going to work on something, so he is going to busy." Shion added as Satoshi drank the glass of water before him, while Rika seemed to be surprised at all that had happened.

Rena sensing that Rika was surprised at the turn of event then spoke.

"We thought Keiichi thought you about what he is doing, so we kept quiet." Rena said with a regretful voice.

"Rena, it's not your fault." Satoshi said as he put down the glass he drank from. "After all, we should have noticed that he was acting strangely."

"I think whatever we say now doesn't matter." Mion said as she looked at Rika.

"Kei-ken will come back." Mion then continued. "_Yakusokushite dakara_."

-----

"Aren't they too optimistic?" Rika asked sarcastically as she realized that she had arrived at the front of the shrine.

Then as she looked up, she saw a shadow standing on the top of the stairs and wanting to be careful, she quietly walked up the stairs in order to figure out who the person is.

As she got closer and closer she the figure became clearer and as soon as the back of the figure became clear, Rika immediately realized who it is.

"Keiichi." Rika shouted the name and started running up the stone stairs as fast as she could and hearing the voice, the figure turned around.

"Rika-chan." Keiichi called the name of the Furude _miko_ as he ran down the stairs.

Although in reality it took several minutes, to them it was as if a few seconds as they raced into each other's embrace.

"Keiichi,…Keiichi." Rika cried as she rested in the arms of the man who brought her courage.

"Rika-chan, you've grown." Keiichi said as he embraced while one of her hands patted her head.

After her crying died, Rika then looked up at Keiichi and said, "_Okaieere_."

Keiichi then replied, "_Tadaima_." And moments later, the two forms became one as the two lips met under the moonlight.

-------

"Keiichi, it's time to go." Rika said to her husband as he finished packing up.

Three years had passed since Keiichi returned. Rika and the others finally learned the truth of why Keiichi disappeared during those last few years of college. It appeared that Keiichi had gotten involved in some sort of criminal investigation along with Akasaka, which required secrecy.

Of course Keiichi wanted to tell the others not to worry about him, but due to rules he had to refrain himself from communicating with anyone. However, it was more than just because of the rules, it was that he didn't want to endanger any one of his friends.

During the last few years, the investigation had gotten really dangerous that Keiichi had to move around a lot to avoid danger, which explained why the others didn't see him around at all during fourth year.

Despite all this, it was very fortunate that Keiichi was able to finish college in four years, and because of this, he was able to return to Hinamizawa, where Rika had been waiting for him.

Keiich and Rika finally gotten married two years ago and Rika is now going through her first pregnancy. They now reside in the Furude Shrine together.

"I will be back in a month." Keiichi said as he kissed Rika on the lips.

Keiichi had now taken on the job of a private agent working internationally and had saved the lives of hundred with his skills.

Rika then watched while she stood at porch to the house as Keiichi get into his car and drove away.

After seeing that her loved one is away, Rika then walked to the side of the house and sat down on the exposed walkway corridor (I am not familiar with Japanese architecture, so help me out and tell me the term for it) facing the garden.

Rika smiled as her hands moved onto her enlarging abdomen.

"This time, I have finally found happiness, and a thousand years' worth as well." Rika said as looked at the orange sky. "Right, Hanyuu?" The wind chime ringed as Rika felt her baby moved and while around her the cinders cried.

The End

Finished October 22, 2008

1st Edit: October 30, 2008

---------------

Author's note: I am finally done. Yeah, after taking an entire week, well not all the time writing. The intent of this story is to connect between the ending scenes where you see the group playing happily and you see a pregnant woman in miko dress sitting, so this is my take.

Translation:

"_Ja nee_, Rika-chan, Satoko-chan." To "See you Rika and Satoko."

"_Unn, boku wa anata shinjimasunanodesu_." To "I believe in you."

"_Shinjimasu nanodesu, Keiichi_" To "I believe in you, Keiichi."

"Rika-chan, _Ooridachi zettai ni kaiyaedekoru_." To "Rika, we will definitely come back."

"_Iie, bokudachi yakusokushimasta nanodesu_." To "No, we promised."

"_Mou, yamede_." To "Enough, stop it."

"_Yakusokushite dakara_." To "Because we promised."

"_Okaieere_." To "Welcome back."

"_Tadaima_." To "I am back."

_Furude no Miko_to Priestess of Furude


End file.
